BLACK WEDNESDAY MUSINGS
It is the morning after the 2016 election and I am facing the first stage of grief…denial! I so wanted to stay under the bed covers, however, I kept dreaming about DT (I refuse to say his name) and what I would say to those who voted for him so I decided to get up and deal with my feelings in a productive manner. Interestingly, some of the long-time prognosticators predicted this outcome to my disbelief last night. Many of the comedians last evening had a hard time revving up any humor or joking about the serious situation. The stories of people who have lost jobs or health care are so dismaying and it is hard to have hope for the future today. I so want to leave this world a better place for my son and grandson and I don’t see it happening. Bare with me; writing this is therapeutic for me to share my feelings and thoughts on paper (well cyberspace).
Is orange the new black? Just eight years ago we elected the first black President and many of us hoped and anticipated this would be another historic election for America. One of the hardest things to grasp is that we are replacing a sitting black President who is so intelligent, suave and sophisticated with an orange reality-show buffoon who is uncouth and inexperienced. It’s a disgrace to the whole world! Our President is supposed to be the best and brightest we have to offer. I can’t say that this time at all!
Obama spent 8 years trying to undo the damage of the previous administration and did a pretty good job of it! I don’t agree with every policy or stance he took, but you have to admit that things have improved as far as jobs (job rate much lower and he saved the auto industry) and the stock market was at a record high many times and of course it is already dropping today! Obama was gracious today in his comments to the country while I imagine his insides are churning with bile. Furthermore, I just can’t picture Mrs. Trump as our first lady, one who posed nude and plagiarized her first speech. I just hope she doesn’t turn the White House into a gaudy golden glitz mansion.
There will be many setbacks with this Presidency that are worthy of discussion. DT’s agenda will likely set us back 50 or more years . He wants to undo Obamacare and leave thousands without insurance and the ability for insurance companies to deny people again. Many people continue to die because of lack of health care and the costs. Many cannot afford health care coverage. The costs do continue to rise, mine included. Medicaid has spread through many states and covers more and more people than ever. Granted The Affordable Care Act needs much more work but it shouldn’t be tossed out! The insurance companies have too much power and ability to raise prices as they choose. There needs to be caps on costs for one and ways to help everyone pay for coverage. Of course, I would rather see a single payer system.
This sexist, pussy-grabber will also set back women’s rights! Reproductive rights are at stake. He feels women should stay at home and make dinner. He doesn’t want to pay for birth control (does his wife not use any?) and would like to overturn Roe vs. Wade. And how will laws against sexism fair with someone who feels its his right to kiss and grab women at will? He has been married three times and rates women on scales according to their beauty and shape and is accused of raping a thirteen-year old girl. This is our model for the nation? Our first lady posed nude; how lovely for us when the GOP complained that Michelle Obama bared her arms in public before. What hypocrites!
In addition, it is likely that sexism and racism are alive and well in the US among the DT voters and will continue in DT’s policies. In the election cycle eight years ago I stated that a black MAN would have a better chance of winning than a woman. I was right; many aren’t ready for a woman President although the treatment of Obama was very poor too. It is disgusting since Clinton was more qualified than most men and certainly more so than DT. Most nations have women leaders and they do a great job. It appears 53% of women actually voted for this pussy grabber? Really women?! Apparently you didn’t live through the days when women fought to gain rights, even to vote, and seemingly you don’t fully appreciate what was fought for by your grandmothers and great grandmothers! How could you vote for a man who has such little regard for women? Don’t you respect yourselves? Most of us have experienced sexism at work or been heckled just walking down the street. We could all tell many stories; I made a list that took up an entire page during this discussion! Women have made strides but our work is not done. I guess we need another feminist revolution too!
Racism continues to be an important American issue too and DT doubtfully will to anything to help that. He seems to promote name calling and violence as well. He practice discrimination in 1970’s in refusing housing to minorities. And he certainly isn’t respectful of those with disabilities. He wants to ban Muslims, and has repeatedly made racist comments about almost every ethnicity. Again, that is who we want as our model to our children and the world? The KKK supported DT and Duke cheered that he won.
You’ve heard of the ‘dumbing down of America’? I think it has worked! 39% of millennials voted for DT. Sure they wanted change, but this? Really, he is not Bernie Sanders; they are totally different! I have said for about 15 years that education is not what it used to be. There are many reasons such as teaching to the standardized test, not funding certain schools and the rise of charter schools. Even DT said he liked the uneducated and the percentage of people who voted for him were less likely to have college degrees. Critical thinking has almost disappeared in lieu of glib soundbites.
How will his election affect elders depending on Social Security and Medicare? The GOP has said they want to privatize Social Security. That would be disastrous as we know what happens when the market declines or crashes (today for example). Everyone paid into that system and it isn’t up for ‘gambling’ with! And there could be medicare vouchers? No way. Many of these programs have worked well for decades and might need a little tweaking, but not undoing them. Most people depend on their pensions to live on and many of those are barely squeaking by as it is and they worked for the money they receive.
People continue to vote against their own interests. Healthcare, for one. What about work? Why would a billionaire care about you and your farm or your lack of a job? He sends his own production work outside the country and you think he will bring your jobs back? The GOP wanted to let the auto industry close which would have been a disaster! He has never laid out a plan for jobs creations. DT doesn’t want a minimum wage either. Also, I don’t agree with NAFTA, one of the few points I agree with DT on, but I seriously doubt he is going to be a big job creator. He cares about himself, the wealthy and his own interests not those of the little people. He has never worked in government and likely will have Pence do much of the work. This win is only another feather in his cap; I don’t believe he really cares about the country. He will have to prove me wrong on that.
Our image in the world is tarnished! Leaders and others are stating their amazement and displeasure with the outcome already. Of course, Putin congratulated DT, how interesting? We just spent eight years building up our allies and our global presence. Will this all be undone? They can’t believe our elections and wonder how this new administration will affect our relations with allies and trade. ISIS would like nothing better than to fight us in a massive war and DT is willing to fight at all costs and will embolden our enemies with his attitude. And many of us have said we would like to leave America if DT was elected, and Canada’s website crashed last night. This makes it hard to be proud to be an American. Is this our BREXIT vote which will be soon-regretted?
This is a loss for our planet too and we only have a few years left to right that before we are doomed. Many animals are becoming extinct. DT doesn’t even believe in global warming and will push more drilling/fracking/coal production than ever. He wants to get rid of the EPA too. The economy will likely suffer at least for awhile. Already stocks are plummeting. No one expected this outcome. I took some of my money out of stocks temporarily over the election cycle to play it safe.
The big question remains on how he will handle immigration issues. Will DT get his wall built and deport million of people? That would be a disaster for our economy and for families! I don’t think he realizes the work that immigrants and illegals perform; many that Americans don’t want to do. Of course they need to be given a chance for an easy path to citizenship if they choose. Right now it is costly and time-consuming. Ironically, Mrs. Trump was once an illegal herself when she entered to do modeling. And Obama has deported more people than anyone else has.
Most of us are asking how could this election come to this conclusion? We shook our heads in amazement and shock last night. We watched the returns with disbelief and tears. There are many reasons for the outcome I suppose. First, getting people out to vote and many from rural areas who are more conservative turned out and lean conservative. It is obvious that people in general are unhappy with the way things are going and wanted to see changes. There was voter suppression in some areas where voting has become difficult especially for minorities. The FBI director had a role in his last-minute email debacle. There was nothing new to report but he may have swayed many minds.
It also seemed to be a popularity contest rather than an issue-based contest. Hilary has been demonized repeatedly for many years and DT called her names like liar and crooked when she could easily have said the same about him. He even threatened to lock her up when elected. She has fought for many great issues yet keeps running up against men blocking and challenging her. It is disheartening that the populace often chooses actors and reality stars for a position that is so much more important than looking flashy and repeating glib soundbites.
Change for the sake of change is never good. You have to look at the issues and the solutions. Those were lost in the petty gibes and emails scandals. Bernie Sanders surged because many liked his ideas for change and he almost beat Hilary Clinton to the Democratic candidacy. But some of his younger followers stupidly voted for another type of change; one I suspect they will regret as they lose the ability to go to school or afford healthcare and housing. DT isn’t the kind of change we need! The DNC is also somewhat to blame for choosing Clinton even before the primaries/caucuses had taken place; not owning the fact that the masses really wanted Bernie who might have won especially with the younger voters. Then there is the media who gave Trump too much free air time and seemed to think it was a reality-show rating promotion. Their questions in the debates did not cover many topics and were pretty sickening to watch.
Will this Presidency unite the country? Doubtful. In my lifetime I have seen more divisiveness grow over time between the parties and factions. The Parties aren’t the same as they were in the 60’s. This election was very unique as were the candidates. Most of the time you might disagree with the other party’s on particular issues, but not their ability to lead and being disqualified for the job. You could at least respect the person who won. I can’t say that this time! I was in New York in June and could barely stand to walk past Trump buildings much less not spit on them.
Where do we go from here? One idea I have is far-fetched… a succession of states into two countries much like the south and north? Unfortunately the lines seem to be have changed from east/west coasts and some western states being more liberal, with the south and central America being more conservative. I definitely think we need to have more than two parties and a much shorter election cycle. Six months would be more than enough! It is sickening that it goes on for a year or more! We also need to get rid of the electoral college; it is out-dated and has proven to be a farce in recent elections. Clinton and Gore would have won the popular vote; another disheartening, unDemocratic fact.
Two parties are not enough! The GOP has a conservative faction and then the Tea Party faction which could make two parties. The Dems have sort of two parties too, one that is more progressive and could merge with the Green Party perhaps. There should be a truth in advertising and in electioneering act too. DT was shown to have lied over 70% of the time, and the other side had their fair share of lying too. It is really time for a real revolution, the kind Bernie spoke about. Many are already protesting the election results today in the streets. Perhaps the young generation will begin protesting like we did back in the 60’s for many rights we take for granted today. As those rights get chipped away, more protests will be necessary.
So are we * $^%ed?! The GOP has all branches of the government now with Supreme Court nominations pending. How will we sit with families who remain divided at Thanksgiving dinner and give thanks for our Country? It will be tough, and hard to watch the changing of the guard in the White House which begins with a meeting between Obama and DT tomorrow. However, we must remain vigilant, call people out when they don’t state facts, protest, write, call legislators, become educated on issues and look for new leaders who will uphold our values and bring us back together. Please get involved in moving to get rid of the electoral college; HC and Gore won popular votes and should have been President. Think how different our world would be today if that had happened! If you have other ideas or comments, please share them here.
Eternal vigilance is the price of Democracy.
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